


Day 195

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [195]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25269679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [195]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 195

Jansen watched the white cliffs of Kirkwall approach from the front oh the ship he was on. Varric has told him not to bother coming back for a few more days at least, but that was before he found a piece that looked like it might be from the dwarf’s crossbow in his bag. Jansen knew how much Varric loved hisd crossbow, he never even let anyone else touch it (or her as Varric referred to it.) Wanda has wanted Jansen to send it by currier, so as not to disrupt their holiday in Ostwic, but Varric would never forgive him if anything happened to the piece. Their vacation would last to the end of the week at least so he would be back on plenty of time.

He didn’t know if Varric would be at the Hanger Man or Jansen’s shop, or some other business venture, so Jansen hired a runner to check the Hanged Man while he went back to the shop. Strangely, the runner refused payment, saying the service was a favour for a friend. Jansen was fairly sure he had never met the girl before but he knew that Greta’s business was doing wonders for the runners of the city.

He left the docks but did not quite make it to Lowtown before he met Knight Captain Cullen. Normally, Jansen paid little mind to the templars, except Paxley whom he would buy an ale now and then as thanks for his rescue. Today, however, the Knight Captain approached Jansen directly. He looked to be in a terrible mood.

“Jansen,” he barked. Jansen froze in surprise. His casual nature often led him afoul of authority though it had been a while since the last time it happened.

“Hello, sir,” Jansen said. He gave the templar a salute, he didn’t know why. The templars did it to each other so it seemed right. Cullen did not seem to approve, in fact his scowl deepened.

“You are a hard man to find,” said the Templar. Jansen didn’t know what to say to that but just then there was an overpowering smell of rotten fish.

That smell didn’t usually leave the docks so it was a bit unusual. Cullen sighed deeply and looked around, his scowl deepening further than Jansen would have thought possible.

“There he is,” someone shouted. Around the corner came a dockworker with a guardsmen. The dockworker pointed at Cullen and then to a sheet if paper he was holding.

“The poster didn’t say he was a templar,” the guard said looking from Cullen to the paper. “I don’t know if I have the authority to arrest a templar.”

“You don’t,” Cullen grumbled. “I’ve been over this with your captain. “Someone has been forging wanted posters of me and accusing me of all manner of things.”

“So there’s no reward?” The dock worker asked.

This was as exciting as one of Varric’s stories. Jansen wanted to see how it was going to end but he was grabbed and pulled into a side alley. 

“They nearly had you, Friend.” It looked like another runner, this one was an elven boy. Jansen has a lot of new ‘friends’ it seemed. This must be what it was like to be Varric. 

“Thanks, Friend,” he said with a smile. “In trying to find Varric, I have something of his.”

“He’s in the Hanged Man. Follow me.”

Jansen followed the elf through the back streets until they reached the most notorious inn in Kirkwall. The elf led Jansen to a back room where a brown-haired human woman and a blind elf were waiting.

“It seems you have made a lot of friends recently,” Said the woman.

“I guess,” Jansen replied. He was a bit confused as to what was going on. “I helped some people get back on their feet and now they’re me friends. That’s how things go I suppose.”

“But you don’t want to share friends, do you Jansen,” the woman continued. “You want to be the only one with friends. Got a taste for the power of friendship but our wasn’t enough was it?” 

Jansen was one again at a loss for words. It seemed like everyone in the city had gone mad but that would imply that Kirkwall has ever been sane to begin with.

“Where’s Varric?” Was what he ended up saying. The elf and the woman glanced at each other.

“What is Varric’s part in this?” asked the elf. “Is he one of your friends?”

“Of course,” Jansen said. “I thought everyone was Varric’s Friend.”

“Where is the crow?” Asked the woman. Jansen has no idea how to respond to such a question.

“I’ve only seen pigeons today,” Jansen replied. Whatever answer they were expecting that was apparently not it. The elf leaned in close to his face. 

“We are not in the mood for games,” they said.

“I can see that,” Jansen stammered. 

“Then tell us where the crow is!” The elf bellowed. Jansen wracked his brains. Why anyone would be so desperate to find a crow he has no idea. He has definitely not seen any today but there was one a while ago he has seen.

“The Viscounts garden,” Jansen said. “He likes to rest there and eat the grapes that are growing all over the place since the groundskeeper got sacked”.

Just then the door burst open and Varric entered brandishing his crossbow.

“Let’s all take a deep breath and cool our heads.” 

“I’ll go to the gardens,” the elf said and almost sprinted out the door. Varric and the woman locked eyes for a moment and Jansen got the impression they didn’t like each other much.

“Why Varric?” The woman asked. “I have always counted you among my friends.”

“Look, I think we all might be operating on less than ideal intel right now,” Varric said. Jansen was more confused than ever and when the dwarf turned to him, Jansen just smiled and hoped the conversation would continue without him.

“What do you remember about the day before you went on vacation,” Varric Asked. “About the elf you met here that day?”

“Well, he was real friendly,” Jansen said. “And he seemed to know me.”

“Did he know your name?” Varric Asked.

“Yes.” Jansen replied. “Maybe… he halted me Red J. On account of me hair. I think it’s a fun nickname.”

“What?,” The woman screamed. “You mean to tell me that this entire time we’ve been looking for a spy master trying to take over my network and it was just this idiot thinking Red J. was a fun nickname?”

“Well the assassins looking for Red Jenny is real,” Varric said. “But he’s been looking for the wrong man this entire time thanks to Jansen here. You should be thanking him if anything.”

When it was clear that no one was angry at him anymore Jansen relaxed, maybe a bit too much because all of a sudden they were both looking at him.

“Assuming that’s all right with you,” Varric said. Jansen was too embarrassed to admit his attention had drifted and just nodded. The woman gave him a curt nod and Varric led him out of the room.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll keep you safe. Just make sure you don’t leave the Hanged Man until I come back.

Jansen, who until that moment has been starting to feel better, sat down and started at the table wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into.


End file.
